Brush, especially for massage purposes



Sept. 1, 1936. R. Lc'jwY 2,052,836

' BRUSH, ESPECIALLY FOR MASSAGE PURPOSES Filed April 15, 1935 Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRUSH, ESPECIALLY FOR MASSAGE PURPOSES Rudolf Liiwy, Vienna, Austria 4 Claims.

The known brushes with hollow back and a yieldable bristle carrier covering the same are open to the objection that the bristle or pin car rier sinks too deeply into the hollow back when the brush is in use, so that the bristles or pins, particularly those in the middle of the brush, bunch together and thus lose every brushing or massage efiect. This objection is overcome according tothe invention primarily in that the bristle or pin-carrier is supported by elastic means accommodated in the hollow back.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a brush in longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, the bristle carrier being removed.

Fig. 4 shows the position assumed by the bristles when the brush is in use.

In the example illustrated the bristle or pin carrier 2 covering the hollow back I "of the brush consists of a fiat plate of rubber or other suitable elastic material. The bristles 3 may be of animal hair, or wire or pins. The back I has an aperture 5 at a suitable point, through which the air can escape and enter the space 4 when pressure is exerted on and removed from the bristle or pin carrier during the use of the brush. Elastic means are provided in the hollow back for supporting the bristle carrier. These means consist in the example illustrated of a plurality of springs 6, the ends of which are hooked into eyes I provided on the inner surface of the side walls of the bottom back I. If pressure is exerted on the bristles or pins 3 when massaging, the effect of the springs 6 must be overcome so that the bristles cannot recede too far into the hollow handle or incline too strongly towards each other, and consequently the points of the bristles cannot bunch together.

In the example illustrated the bristles or pins are subdivided into a plurality of groups each of which has its own supporting spring 6. Gaps 8 are left between the individual groups of bristles, which gaps are wider than the space be tween two neighbouring rows of bristles in a group. If the bristles are pressed inwards at A (Figs. 2 and 4), the neighbouring portions B of the rubber plate 2 bulge slightly so that the bristles incline slightly but remain almost parallel and the free ends of the groups A, B cannot contact owing to the'gaps 8 and consequently cannot bunch together. Rollers or cylinders 9 (Fig. 3) may be slipped on to the springs 6 and rotate freely thereon, so that the undulating movement of the bristles and bristle carrier during the massage (Fig. 4) is facilitated.

The invention presents the advantage that the bristle carrier is protected by the interposition of elastic means in the hollow brush back and enables perfect massaging, even after the elasticity of the bristle carrier 2 has decreased. The invention also enables the bristle carrier 2 to be constructed as a flat plate of rubber or other suitable elastic material owing to the elastic means supporting the carrier. The invention can open side of said hollow back, and a plurality of elastic elements accommodated in said hollow back in spaced relation and supportingly engaged with said bristle carrier at spaced points. 2. A brush as specified in claim 1, in which the elastic supporting means consist of springs, 3. A brush as specified in claim 1, in which the bristles are divided into a plurality of spaced groups each composed of rows of bristles, the gaps between the individual groups being wider than the spacing of the rows of bristles in the individual groups, and the elastic supporting means consist of springs one for each group of bristles. 4. A brush as specified in claim 1, in which the elastic supporting means carry loosely rotatable rollers adapted to facilitate the undulating movement of the bristle carrier during massage.

RUDOLF LoWY. 

